The present invention relates to a flip top locking truck topper and more particularly to a topper for a pick up truck in which the topper pivots open and closes, and locks down in the closed position.
There are known several different pickup toppers, or shells, in which the shell, or a portion of the shell, rotates between a closed position and an open position. Most have some sort of lifting mechanism and pivot about some sort of hinge. Each has certain advantages and disadvantages.
Some of the problems associated with the prior toppers include unstable lifting mechanisms. The lifting mechanisms on some do not hold the shell in a stable open position. They wobble and wiggle, and cannot be in the open position when the truck is in motion.
Another problem is when the shell closes. The shell does not properly seal against the truck. This causes water and air leakage into the cargo area under the shell. The whole purpose of the shell is to keep the cargo protected from the elements. If the shell is not properly sealed, and water enters the cargo area, the purpose is defeated.
When the shell is in a closed position, often the lifting mechanism is the only thing maintaining the shell in a proper position on the truck. Ideally the sides of the shell match and mate with the sides of the pickup truck side walls, and the back matches and mates with the top of the tailgate. Many of the prior art would not and could not close and seal the shell in a proper position. The rear end of the topper shell would be unstable and would twist or skew to one side or the other preventing proper positioning. The lifting mechanism generally positioned in the front of the shell was not effective in controlling the rear of the shell. In addition, as the truck is in motion, the rear of the shell could wobble and shake due to air currents when in motion. Generally, the rear end of the shell was not stable and would not seal properly.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a flip top locking truck topper that is adapted to open and close in a particular manner that ensures a proper position of the sides and back of the shell with the side walls and tailgate of the pickup. This ensures a proper seal between the shell and pickup.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved flip top locking truck topper that is constructed to provide a complete seal between the topper and the truck and maintaining a tight seal at the rear end of the topper. It has been demonstrated that the lock block of this invention securely locks and seals sealing surface of the shell against the top edge of the pickup truck bed walls. This assures a water and air tight seal.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a flip top locking truck topper that is can be locked in a closed and sealed position, and thereby ensuring a complete seal and a rear end of the topper being locked in a closed position to ensure stability to prevent wobble and twisting.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a flip top locking truck topper in which the lifting mechanism lifts and breaks the forward seal, pushes the shell rearward to xe2x80x9cunlockxe2x80x9d the rear end, and then pivot the shell from a closed position to an open position. In closing, the lift mechanism lowers the shell to engage a locking device, pulls the shell forward to lock the locking device and pulls the front downward to seal the front and completely seal the side edges. It has been demonstrated that the combined action of the lifting mechanism and arrangement of the various components provides a complete seal between the truck and shell, and locks the rear of the shell at the rear of a truck to provide a very stable rear end of the shell.
To accomplish the foregoing and other objects of this invention there is provided a flip top locking truck topper and more particularly to a topper for a pickup truck that the entire topper pivots on a hinge to open and close.
The flip top locking truck topper of this invention includes a topper having a forward wall and a pivoting shell. The shell, less the forward wall, pivots via a hinge and lifting mechanism to open and close the shell. A lift mechanism, such as a hydraulic cylinder or mechanical screw, operates to pivot the shell. One end of the lift mechanism is attached to a lower position on a hinge support. The other end is attached within an inside top surface of the shell. The lift mechanism opens the shell by first lifting the forward end to break a seal between the forward wall and a front edge of the shell, pushes the shell rearward to release or unlock the rear end, and then pivots the shell upward pivoting about the hinge.
A lock block, one or more, at a rear position on a lower edge of the lower sealing surface of the shell interacts and engages a stake bed opening(s), or equivalent, at the rear sidewalls on the pick up. The lock block(s) secures and locks the rear end of the topper to the rear of the pick up truck.
In closing, the lift mechanism pivots the shell downward and engages the lock block in the stake bed opening, pulls the shell forward to lock the lock block(s) in the stake bed opening(s), and pulls the front of the shell downward to seal the front of the shell to the forward wall and to complete the seal along the edges.
The above mentioned and other objects, and features of the present invention will be better understood and appreciated from the following detailed description of the main embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings.